'13-game losing streak': SSG Landers digs in its heels, 'Choi Ji-hoon out, Oh Tae-gon and Kim Sung-wook start, relying on returning pitcher Noh Gyeong-eun and temporary starter Baek Seung-geon... Manager Lee Seung-yong: "I hope they step up and play their roles well when needed" [Incheon field]

*This content was translated by AI.

"I hope they play that role well today as well."

After extending their franchise-record losing streak and climbing to a joint first place early in the season, the SSG Landers now face the worry of dropping to ninth place. With nowhere left to retreat, they have dug in their heels.

On the 3rd, SSG will host the Kiwoom Heroes in a 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League home game at Incheon SSG Landers Field.

Having lost 13 consecutive games, the team now sits at 22 wins, 31 losses, and 1 tie, having fallen to eighth place. The gap to ninth-place Lotte Giants has narrowed to 0.5 games, and they are being chased by last-place Kiwoom by two games.

SSG lined up the batting order with Park Sung-han (shortstop), Oh Tae-gon (right fielder), Choi Jung (third baseman), Guillermo Heredia (left fielder), Kim Jae-hwan (designated hitter), Kim Sung-wook (center fielder), Jeon Ui-san (first baseman), Jo Hyung-woo (catcher), and Jeong Jun-jae (second baseman).

Choi Ji-hoon was removed from the starting lineup. Although he hit a home run the previous day, the decision was made due to his poor balance, with a batting average of 0.108 (4 hits in 37 at-bats) over his last 10 games.

Instead, Kim Sung-wook, who was called up from the minor league the previous day, will start in center field. Oh Tae-gon will bat second. Jeon Ui-san, who hit a multi-hit game the previous day after being discharged from the Army (Republic of Korea Army), will also start today.

Manager Lee said, "Looking at the balance, I thought (Kim) Sung-wook and (Oh) Tae-gon were better. It's not that he's injured, and Ji-hoon has been running without rest, so I thought it was not a bad idea to take him out depending on the situation."

He also gave a positive evaluation of Jeon Ui-san. "I viewed him very positively. His approach at the plate was good; he picked out pitches he would have swung at and missed in the past and made his own swings. That's why, even though the opposing starter is a left-handed pitcher today, I decided to start him. He has played one game now and has clearly improved. He also showed much more confidence and a good performance in defense."

Noh Gyeong-eun, who had been removed from the roster due to knee pain, returned today. Manager Lee explained, "He will go out as a reliable reliever when the situation calls for it. His knee is not a problem at all; he has thrown pitches and even appeared in a game."

The performances of the newly joined players are desperately needed. Manager Lee said, "Last season, too, when we were in trouble, players who had prepared well in the minor league came up and played their roles very well. That's why I expect them to play that role today as well. They showed good form in the minor league, so I hope they come up and fulfill that role."

He also places high expectations on temporary starter Baek Seung-geon. Baek, who has appeared in five games this season, started only once against Lotte Giants on the 3rd of last month, pitching four innings with one hit allowed, one walk, four strikeouts, and one earned run. Afterward, he went to the Futures League for starting pitcher training, pitched well over two games with 10⅓ innings and three earned runs, and has now been called up again.

Manager Lee said, "We are not concerned about pitch counts. We have been thinking a lot about the situations later on. He did well in starting pitcher training in the minor league, and since he was said to be the best, we brought him up. Right now, even players who are said to be the best in the minor league are not playing their roles well, and existing players are also experiencing ups and downs, so there is a constant mismatch. We have high expectations for Seung-geon and will watch him closely. We will prepare for what comes later."

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*This content was translated by AI.